Do you have your filter on a timer?

[momofonly]

I don't have a pool yet. I'm in the process of researching an 18 foot round above ground pool. My husband and I are wondering how long a filter needs to be run in the summer. While we were doing research in the local pool store today, we heard a few customers mention that they have their pool filters on a timer. Do most people put the filter on a timer? If so, how long is it set for? Or is it better to run it 24 hours?
Thanks! This is a great forum.

[aylad]

I don't have mine on a timer, because of the tendency around here for evaporation to take the water level too low. During swim season, I turn it on in the morning when I get up, and off when I get ready to go to bed, so it runs somewhere around 12 hours. During the winter I run it overnight when the air temps are below freezing, but otherwise just 2-3 hours a day to circulate chlorine when I need to add it (my pool never closes).

When clearing up an algae bloom or other water problem, the filter needs to be run pretty much 24/7, but otherwise it only really needs to run enough to turn over your pool's water volume once a day--for most pumps/filters, 6 or so hours a day is plenty.

[Watermom]

I don't currently, but many summers we do put our pump on a timer to kick on around noon and off around 8pm.

[Watermom]

(my pool never closes).

Hear that people? Pool party's at Jan's house this winter! ;);)

[aylad]

If you can stand it--go for it! :)

[JimK]

I don't have a pool yet. I'm in the process of researching an 18 foot round above ground pool. My husband and I are wondering how long a filter needs to be run in the summer. While we were doing research in the local pool store today, we heard a few customers mention that they have their pool filters on a timer. Do most people put the filter on a timer? If so, how long is it set for? Or is it better to run it 24 hours?
Thanks! This is a great forum.

I use a timer and wouldn't want to do without one; one less thing to have to remember. During the season I run it about 14 hours a day; I find this is long enough to keep the pool clean and allow the SWCG enough time to maintain chlorine levels (note that I have a 20k gal IG pool).

[Phillbo]

Intermatic timer. I run 7-11pm and then 7-12am ...

[AnnaK]

Intermatic timer hardwired into my breaker box. Runs from 10 PM to 4 AM each night because the rates are 50% less. I have a 2 speed pump and run it on low speed which means it takes just 1/4 or so of the electrical power. I cannot tell in the summers that my pool pump is added to the load because the A/C uses ever so much more power. I run the pump on low speed for an hour or so after a swim session to skim the dog hair off the surface. The timer has definitely improved my life. I don't have to remember to do yet another thing :)

[famousdavis]

Our pool builder didn't even offer a pool without a timer -- it's just assumed that the homeowner would want to use a timer, and I see why -- it's just one less thing to remember, one less thing to do. Ours runs 8 hrs a day, all months of the year (I'll run the filtration system if we're swimming after 4pm when the timer shuts off the pump). I'm experimenting with how low I can run the variable speed pump and still maintain crystal clear water. Last summer I ran the pump @ 2750rpms. I started this summer running it at 2000 rpms, and just now dropped it to 1800 rpms. I probably won't go lower than 1800 rpms, as that's running the pump at about half-speed.

[392papa]

I run my filter 24/7 is this bad?

[aylad]

It's not necessarily bad...it's just an unnecessary expense to pay the electricity!

If you can turn your pool's water volume over in 8-10 hours or so, then why pay the extra electric to run the pump the other 14-16 hours?

Janet

[392papa]

Thanks, Ill have to do some calcs to figure out how much its costing me

[famousdavis]

You might be surprised, not only in how much electricity you're using (unless you're using a variable speed pump at a very low rpm setting), but also in the expedited equipment maintenance/replacement costs, too.

I'm trying to find the optimal setting of pump on-time, pump rpms, chlorine production (I've got a SWCG), typical bather load, and resulting water clarity and quality. Even if I'm not at the absolute optimal setting, I'm pretty darn close to it.

[392papa]

I looked at variable speed pumps last year when my 1-1/2HP motor burned up. Being in southern OH I could not justify it for my 12-14 week swimming season. When I have to replace the pump I will take another look.

That said you guys have me thinking I am throwing money away by running 24/7.

I am sure I would have to make adjustments to my chlorine feeder(3" tri-chlor tabs).

Can you think of any other potential problems I should watch for?

[Watermom]

I don't think you'll have any trouble if you run the pump 8-10 hours a day. I never run mine 24/7. I typically turn it on around noon and off around 8 or 9pm.

[AnnaK]

I have my chlorine feeder set to 1/8 and run my pump 6 hours out of 24, on low speed. This maintains FC at 3 ppm in my volume.

It's a little bit trial and error unless someone is a real math brain and can do the calculations involved.

My given was that the pump would run on low speed. My variables were time and chlorinator setting. My test was FC and CC using just the feeder. 4 hours didn't put enough chlorine in, 8 hours put too much at the 1/4 setting of the feeder. I settled on 6 hours, reduced the setting to 1/8 to avoid overshooting the CYA, and add liquid chlorine now and then.

[392papa]

That sounds like a great place to start.

Thank you :)

[Anonymous [GDPR] European in Spain]

I have had a timer for 13 years without problems on my in ground 24,000 gal pool. Run my pump for 1 hour 3 times a day during the summer, and 2 times a day in the winter. Pump and filter rated to approx 6,000 gal/hr. I couldn't survive without as I am frequently away in the winter for several weeks at a time.

[CarlD]

In my town, a pool timer is part of the building/electrical code. It's required. But even if it wasn't, I'd have had it installed, wired into the breaker box. When I had an early Intex donut, I had an outdoor timer that plugged into an outdoor outlet.

[Watermom]

Carl, why would it be part of the building code and required? That seems strange to me. My timer is also wired into my breaker box but I'm not using it too much these days. My geeky friend Poconos installed some kind of outlet control software on my laptop when he was here visiting one time that allows me to turn my pool pump on and off from my computer. How is that for the ultimate in laziness!

[Anonymous [GDPR] European in Spain]

Watermom, perhaps you could get a program to allow "virtual swimming" that way you could save washing towels etc.:-)

[drband]

I run my filter 24/7 is this bad?
No, it's not "bad" but it costs you a great deal more in electricity.

I have a 2-speed-converted 1 hp superpump that I run only on low 24/7. It's as cheap as running a regular speed pump on 8 hours of timer. Definitely use a timer if you don't have a 2-speed or variable speed. You might even want to do so if you have a low speed option, though most of the saving comes from getting off the high speed pump. I use a standard intermatic pump timer when I choose to run the pump on a schedule-- never have to worry about it!

[392papa]

Drband,

What did you have to do to convert you pump to a 2 speed? Just change out the motor?

[PoolDoc]

Timers are required in "We're your nanny" areas of the country, like California, as a means of enforcing energy savings.

[CarlD]

Carl, why would it be part of the building code and required? That seems strange to me. My timer is also wired into my breaker box but I'm not using it too much these days. My geeky friend Poconos installed some kind of outlet control software on my laptop when he was here visiting one time that allows me to turn my pool pump on and off from my computer. How is that for the ultimate in laziness!

I'll have to look into that!

I don't know why it's code, but it is. And codes about pools are enforced to a very high level. We couldn't build a balcony off our bedroom until we clipped the corners off it and slid it over so that a 10' radius from the corner of the pool couldn't reach the balcony...fear of someone trying to jump from the balcony to the pool? I don't know, but every part of the balcony had to be 10' or more from the water!

I couldn't build the pool closer than 50' to the property line because TECHNICALLY it's attached to the house (it's attached to the deck)...but had it been free-standing, with a path rather than a deck to it, I could have gone to 20' of the property line. I also had to have it parallel to the house, not perpendicular...then my back-fence neighbor was allowed to build THEIR pool perpendicular!

Sometimes, building codes just "are"--can't even put a "nanny state" spin on them because THAT at least has SOME logic, whether you agree with it or not. We have codes that have no discernible reason for existing, but you just have to follow them anyway!

[drband]

Drband,

What did you have to do to convert you pump to a 2 speed? Just change out the motor?

Just changed out the motor. The impeller works just fine. Be sure to change all the seals if you do this! There are a couple of ways to wire this though. I opted for a motor mounted toggle switch for hi/off/low, since I primarily run on low except for vacuuming. You can wire it for an external 2-speed controller (expensive) or for an external switch (I believe it's called a single-pole double-throw switch) that works like the motor switch. You can still use an intermatic timer with that type of switch. Good luck.

[392papa]

Thanks, I'll get to work on it :)

[Gretzky99]

does it matter what time of day you have the timer set for?

[PoolDoc]

2x per day is better than 1; in our area, having an evening run to catch debris from thunder storms (if any) is important.

Just noticed the DE filter -- many DE filters do not handle cycling super well. You'd be better off with a 2-speed pump.

[Leehicks79]

My pump only has one speed. I have been running it 24/7. Will an outdoor timer for Christmas lights work? No codes where I live.

[PoolDoc]

Will an outdoor timer for Christmas lights work? No codes where I live.

Almost certainly not -- a pump timer MUST have a horsepower rating. If it does not, attempting to use the timer will probably just destroy the timer, usually fairly quickly.

[CarlD]

If the pump's draw on electric is too great it could burn out the timer. Depends on how many amps the timer can handle.

[PoolDoc]

Carl, it's more complicated than that.

When you CLOSE the contacts, to turn the a pump motor ON, you can have a high current inrush that is sometimes a full multiple of the maximum running amps. But what tends to kill timers and relays is the induced current overload that results when you OPEN the contacts, to turn the pump OFF. This results in the timer (or relay) having to BREAK a much larger current than the maximum current the circuit carries.

This is the reason a relay that is rated for a 30A resistive load may only be rated for 1HP 110V motor load -- that is nominally about 8 or 9 amps. If you try to use a 10A resistive relay for a 1HP 110v motor load, you'll tend to burn out the contacts very quickly.